The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) says it’s been dealing with numerous stabbings throughout 2022 — to the tune of 13 every two days, on average — and the Victoria Day long weekend was no different.
Police said on Friday night, a man in his 30s was dropped off at a Winnipeg hospital in critical condition with a severe stab wound. He was later upgraded to stable, and police believe the stabbing happened near a Main Street bar.
Later, three people, including two teenage girls, were arrested Saturday night in connection with another stabbing near Main Street and Jarvis Avenue. Two women had been stabbed outside a bar and taken to hospital in unstable condition. The three suspects — 15, 17 and 37 –were charged with assault-related offences.
Early Sunday morning, a security guard at an Osborne Street bar was stabbed, police said. He was taken to hospital in critical condition but later updated to stable.
In another incident that evening, a man in his 30s was stabbed during a child’s birthday party at an Alexander Avenue home. A second man showed up at hospital shortly after with a cut. Police said both men refused further police assistance.
Police were called to the 100 block of Powers Street Sunday night just after 11:30, with a report of two teen boys who had been stabbed at a nearby basketball court. Both victims were taken to hospital.
Finally, just after 2 a.m. Monday, police were called when two men in their 20s were admitted to hospital with stab wounds. It’s believed they were stabbed near a Main Street bar.
It’s part of a trend that’s been growing over the past five years.
The 860 stabbings reported by police as of May 24th nearly matches the pace from 2021, when Winnipeg saw a record-setting 2,340 stabbings.
That number blows away the 1,790 the city experienced just four years earlier in 2017.
Yearly totals have been increasing by 150 or more since then.
WPS Const. Jay Murray says officers expect to be busy on long weekends, but this amount of activity was still shocking.
“You’ve got a number of general patrol units responding. They lock down the scene, search for evidence, get a hold of witnesses, arrest suspects. It’s a lot of work.”